Even for those in the racing industry who have dispassionately cast their eyes over thousands of horses as a way of making their living, sometimes there’s one that makes them stop and stare.

Will Kinsey, who has spent time as an amateur rider, a trainer, breeder and pinhooker as well as founding the online auction house ThoroughBid, recognises Romeo Coolio to be a special element  of his career so far.

The awe-inspiring victory by Gordon Elliott’s youngster in the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse gives Kinsey the rights to November’s TBA Breeder Of The Month on what might only be the beginning of the legacy for the son of the late Kayf Tara.

“That’s why we all do it, ultimately,” Kinsey says.

Acquiring Romeo Coolio’s dam, Miss Bailly, was the result of the kind of speculative trip to France that so many of Kinsey’s ilk have to make.

“I went with [fellow trader] JD Moore, it was one September some years back now, and we were looking at foals, yearlings, two-year-olds, broodmares, anything that might have a bit of value either to resell or breed from,” he says.

“At that time of the year the country had kind of been pillaged, there was very little left.

“We flew into Paris and I think she was in the second yard we visited. She was a sister to Cap Soleil, who was a top black-type novice mare in England with Fergal O’Brien at the time, so I knew a bit about the pedigree.

“We didn’t get the deal done, went on a whole tour around the country, were going to fly out of Lyon but changed it to Paris and made the deal.”

Miss Bailly, by Kapgarde and a winner over hurdles and fences at Enghien, was at the time in foal to Great Pretender and carrying Ascending Lark, a Listed winner for Harry Derham at the  Punchestown Festival last April Romeo Coolio was her next in line and is one Kinsey remembers well.

“We have a video of my daughter, she must have been three or four at the time, in the stable with the foal and the mare, that tells you everything you’d need to know. The mare’s as gentle as a lamb and he was just the most beautiful foal. We ended up selling him privately out of the field; he could be stood a long way away you’d still see how gorgeous he was.”

Romeo Coolio was steered down the Irish point-to-point route and an easy debut win for Donnchadh Doyle at Belclare in the spring of 2023 saw his price snowball to a gigantic £420,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale.

Now owned by KTDA Racing, his achievements have included placings in both the Champion Bumper and Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at consecutive Cheltenhams and a Grade 1 strike in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown last Christmas.

“They said all last year just wait until he goes chasing,” Kinsey says. “He’s looked a complete natural over fences and even though he was a Grade 1 winner over hurdles, hopefully he’s got more to give over varying trips as well.

“It’s very exciting for everybody on the team, at the yard, let’s just hope the mare keeps going too!”

Miss Bailly, who is currently in foal to Luxembourg, has other fledgling talents on the ground. Her filly Julio Coolio has begun well for Derham while Bailly’s Comet, by Passing Glance, made the perfect start in a Wincanton bumper after her £85,000 Goffs UK Spring Store Sale purchase by Anthony Honeyball.

Now 14, she is one of the prime exhibits at Kinsey’s Peel Bloodstock business just outside of Chester.

He explains: “I’d have a good few mares of my own, of which Miss Bailly’s probably the best, and then we have others at home for clients and partners like Limini and Stormy Ireland, who were  Grade 1-winning mares.

“Miss Bailly wasn’t a Grade 1-winning mare but the others are going to have to go some way to be as good a broodmare as her!”

Ironically, Kinsey ended up buying three horses on that shopping trip to France with one of the others being Aucunrisque. The major Newbury handicap hurdle winner sold on cheaply but the fact Kinsey’s instinct was proven correct is some compensation.

“It’s not always just about making money, you’ve got to prove your reputation,” he says. “We’ve bred some Graded horses before and done well pinhooking but to breed a Grade 1 winner like  Romeo Coolio way surpasses even pinhooking one.”